POLICE called to a disturbance came upon a "mass brawl" outside a house in Canterbury Street, Blackburn.

About 13 adults who had been at a christening party were shouting and fighting with each other and young children were screaming and crying, Blackburn magistrates were told.

And the court heard that the father of the children christened was eventually arrested after intervening as another man was being arrested.

Sean Patrick Forkin, 33, of Rockliffe Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and resisting an officer and admitted a breach of the peace.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £75 compensation and £50 costs. The magistrates declined to make an order binding him over to keep the peace.

Joanne Shahzada, prosecuting, said police were called out just after midnight. A woman inside the house told them there had been a christening and members of the family had started fighting.

Police encouraged people to start leaving but Forkin was having a disagreement with another man. The man was arrested and Forkin then intervened on his behalf.

When police tried to arrest him he began to struggle violently and one officer was kicked several times on the leg.

Stephen Parker, defending, said Forkin was a man of previous good character who is married with two children.